A read full of eccentric characters. Eliza is full of strength and resilience and builds herself a new life while living in a 1 room motel. But karma along with her new friends help her through the adjustment period and land her a job she never expected and a real place to live. A new life that made her sacrifice worth it.

1964 Texas. Sweet Vidalia is a motel. Its lackluster appearance does not fall short to the other individuals that reside there. To Eliza, Sweet Vidalia is home. It’s where she has to start over and rediscover who she is.

Building her life again, brick by brick, Eliza Kratke nears 60 and grapples with the sudden death of her husband Robert. She also has to come to terms that Robert was living another life with another woman. A life Eliza knew nothing about until his death.

Eliza devoted her life to Robert and her now grown children. Now seemingly with nothing, she enrolls in the local community college, meets some interesting characters along the way and becomes gainfully employed.
A kind woman, she forms relationships that are heart warming and doesn’t dwell too much on her past.

The plot is very basic and there are few major character development arcs, but overall I enjoyed this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown, and Company for allowing me to read and review Sweet Vidalia.

“Sweet Vidalia” by Lisa Sandlin is a story about a woman in her 50s who experiences unimaginable grief and hardships. She loses her husband suddenly and then finds he was married to second wife and leaves her penniless. The book speaks to her struggle finding her way back and the difficult journey it took for her to get there. Ultimately her inner strength and character help her to persevere. For me the story was hard to read and a bit unrealistic. I do think it was beautifully written and for some there will be lessons learned about forgiveness.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown & Company for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sweet Vidalia started out with an interesting story. The feeling of wanting to know more was intriguing. What did the husband do, what was the marriage dynamic, what happens next. However, half way through I felt that several aspects of Eliza's life were being covered. I found this hard to follow. Some tried to wrap up in how she was able to overcome, but other aspects such as her children and where they stood in helping her really fell flat with me. I think the concepts that it covered are great for a story however, I felt that none of the stories except that it turned out ok were really seen fully through. The names of the daughter and mother being so similar was also very confusing. I enjoyed the book but was a tough read for me because every story seemed a bit hard to follow.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Have you ever had that surreal moment when you question if your life is really what you think it is? After the unexpected death of her husband in 1964 Texas, Eliza begins to realize that what she took as the truth was layered in lies and betrayal. Sweet Vidalia is an absolutely beautifully written and poignant novel about rediscovering the life you’ve lived. Trying to find her new norm taking classes and living out of The Sweet Vidalia Residence Inn opens Eliza’s eyes to a whole new world, one in which she finds healing and her own identity. Lisa Sandlin writes a powerful novel with a message that transcends age and decades.

Review is posted on Goodreads and final review will be posted on Instagram ahead of the publication date!

"Sweet Vidalia" is about a middle-aged woman who is ousted from her life by a heartbreaking deceit. The reader joins her journey as she takes business classes, forges friendships, and learns to trust her self and abilities in a hotel full of young people. The setting of 1960s Texas is compelling as are the people she meets and where she ends up. Highly recommended for the writing and story. My favorite read so far in 2024. Thanks to NetGalley for the gift of this ARC.
#SweetVidalia #LisaSandlin

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of Sweet Vidalia. This is Eliza's story of survival following the death of her husband. A great story of putting on foot in front of the other and carrying on.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Sweet Vidalia is historical fiction about a widow in the 1960s, Eliza. In the beginning scenes, Eliza loses her husband, Robert, and is shocked to learn that he had another wife and was a bigger mist. Never having been on her own. And her children grown and moved away, She begins to find herself and to make her own way in life. She has a wonderful dog, and they move into a motel called the Vidalia. She meets many offbeat characters, and there are more than meets the eye. She saves her money and gets herself out of a hole that she did not dig herself into. She reminds me of my grandmother, the women of that time who didn’t think to complain, rolled up their sleeves and got things done. Anger isn’t useful for them, but hard work acceptance is. I found myself rooting for her.

Reading Sweet Vidalia was such a life-affirming experience. After Eliza Kratke's world is turned upside down by the knowledge of a husband who betrayed her, she begins a long journey to find the life she wants. Eliza's experiences with poverty, loneliness, and struggle send a strong message about what women were able to achieve even in the sixties, a time when women had few resources to rely upon.

I strongly reacted to how little this character had going for her. Eliza is in her late fifties and has no education beyond high school. She raised two children on a meager household income and then found herself destitute. Eliza's pride kept her going, and so did her sharp mind and strong character. Eliza made friends, did things for herself, and found profound experiences and growth. I was rooting for her on every page. This is a novel for women of all ages. I remember the time and the struggle. I admired Lisa Sandlin's ability to capture life for a character like Eliza.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book, which will be published on December 3, 2024.